After hunkering down for a while you might find yourself buried alive under the amount of low voltage networking information.
While crawling and running in the trench you'll bump into fellow soldiers cat5e, fiber optic cable, security cameras. You'll also find tutorials, tips, installation aids and all kinds of cool networking stuff!
The commander and chief is Discount-Low-Voltage.com
Now that we have all the right tools, let's make some telephone cables.
Step 1) Strip off about 1-2 inches of the cable jacket, being careful not to cut the individual strands of cable
Step 2) Separate all 4 pairs of cable
Step 3) Cut off the brown pair, and line up the cables using the USOC wiring diagram. We will be using conductors 2-7, since this is an RJ11 6P mod plug.
Step 4) Cut the cables as straight as possible, leaving around 1/4" of cables
Step 5) Insert the cable into the modular plug. Keep constant pressure on the cable, to assure the pairs do not come out of order. Make sure to press the cable all the way to the front of the mod plug.
Step 6) Insert the assembly into the 6P slot on your crimp tool, keeping pressure on the cable. By pushing slightly on the cable towards your tool, you will reduce the risk of the cables backing out slightly. Squeeze the tool all the way, remove the plug and repeat the same steps on the other side.
Watch the video: How to Make a Telephone Cable Using USOC Wiring
We've been bragging about how good the KWIK System is and how much time and cost of labor can be saved at the job-site, but don't take it from us, take it from a contractor himself!
Doug Lynn from All Cal Communications has been doing low voltage installation work since 1989, and has worked with a wide spectrum of cables. In addition, he regularly works with and installs Panasonic phone systems. Let's see what he had to say about the Kwik Tool and Kwik Jacks:
So what else makes the Kwik System so cool besides saving time and cost on labor?
- The same cutting head is used for the Cat3, Cat5e and Cat6 keystone jacks. The cutting head is good for at least 1000 terminations, and an additional cutting head is included free of charge.
- Excellent cable test/certification results, so printed reports for your customers are a breeze. No additional labor in troubleshooting is accrued.
- Count on quality! Ever go back to a job-site to troubleshoot a keystone jack that was working when you left? Not with the KWIK jack, once it's done, it's done.
- 25 year TIA/EIA smart link performance warranty is an excellent offering for Hospitals, Military, Government and fortune 500 companies.
- The "High Density" design allows for a wide selection of applications; such as: modular furniture face plates, decora wall plates, and high density keystone patch panels. Saves valuable space.
- No split pairs! No split pair design saves time when lacing the wires onto the keystone jack.
- Color coded for 568B and 568A. Cat3 is colored for USOC wiring. Great for the new guy or home DIYer who always forgets the color code.
- UL and RoHS listed.
- 10 different colors available (Almond, Black, Blue, Gray, Green, Ivory, Orange, Red, Yellow, White).
All that and you get to work with a company that has been offering solutions for over 10 years. Sounds to me like you have a win win : )
To further enhance the integrity of the UL Mark, UL is introducing a holographic label requirement for a wide variety of cable categories. The new UL Marks include the use of secure golden holographic label material and color shifting inks to prevent unauthorized label reproduction.
This type of label has been proven an effective tool in deterring counterfeit products from entering the marketplace. Effective October 1, 2010 manufacturers will be required to apply holographic UL Marks for the products noted below. Although the holographic label is new, the remaining engineering marking information provided on the cable tags or reels and the methods for applying these markings remain unchanged.
• Communications Cable (DUZX/DUZX7)
• Communications Cable Verified to UL Performance Category Program (DUZX)
• Data Transmission Cable Verified in Accordance With National or International Specifications (DVBI)
Code authorities have already begun to see cables with the new holographic labels during their inspections, and will see an increasing number of cables with these markings in the future. You can expect to see the UL symbol on the product and the new holographic UL Listing Mark on the attached tag, the reel, or the smallest unit container in which the cable is packaged. The UL symbol will still appear on the surface print of the cable, and can be either the complete UL in a circle, or the letters “UL” in parenthesis “(UL)”. Surface printing of the UL Certification Mark on the wire insulation or jacketed material is only permissible when the accompanying reel or smallest unit container is also provided with the UL holographic Listing Mark. Although manufacturers cannot add non-holographic labels to cable after October 1, 2010, it may take a while for cable with the non-holographic Listing Marks to be cleared from the supply chain.
Here's our 100 pair category 3 telephone cable for indoor use. This cable is cut per foot, so you can order any length between 1 and 1,000 feet. We also have it available with a plenum rated jacket, for use in air handling spaces in accordance with Fire & Safety Code. Smaller pair counts are available online, as low as 4 pairs. If you need more than 100 pair cable, please contact us for a quote.
100 Pair Aerial/Duct Category 3 Telephone Cable for Outdoor Use
Let's take a look at what the 100 pair aerial telephone cable looks like. As you can see, this is a very thick and strong cable, with an outside diameter of 0.88". The 24AWG durable black jacket us UV and weather resistant. Underneath the jacket is a corrugated 0.008" aluminum tape and plastic coating for superior protection.
Features: - USA Made - General Cable part # 7527161 - 100 Pair - 24 AWG (American Wire Gauge) - PE22 Rated for Aerial/Duct - UV Resistant Jacket - Corrugated Aluminum Tape
Note: We recommend using a PE89 cable for direct burial use. The PE89 features a water blocking gel for supreme protection against the elements.
12 Pair direct burial telephone cable is suitable for outdoor applications without the use of conduit. The cable is filled with water resistant gel and a UV resistant jacket. The conductors are 24awg and follow the industry standard color code for twisted pair cables. Direct burial telephone cable must not be run for more than 50ft inside buildings (per the National Electrical Code). Let's take a look at what the 12 pair PE89 direct burial telephone cable looks like.
Insulation:
- Dual insulation consisting of an inner layer of foamed polyolefin surrounded by a solid polyolefin skin, color-coded in accordance with telephone industry standards
Twisted Pairs:
- Insulated conductors are twisted into pairs with varying lay lengths to minimize crosstalk
Core Assembly:
- 25 pairs and less: pairs are assembled together in a single group
- More than 25 pairs: pairs are arranged in groups, each group having a color coded unit binder
Filling Compound:
- The entire core assembly is completely filled with ETPR compound, filling the interstices between the pairs and under the core tape
Core Wrap:
- Non-hygroscopic dielectric tape applied longitudinally with an overlap
Aluminum Shield:
- Corrugated, copolymer-coated, 0.008" aluminum tape applied longitudinally with an overlap
- The sheath interfaces are flooded with an adhesive water-blocking compound
Jacket:
- Black, linear low density polyethylene Application(s):
- Intended for duct and direct buried installations where protection against water and moisture entry is required and may also be installed aerially
This weeks Deal of the Week features the Dynacom Kwik Tool. Now until Friday the 12th, 2010, were giving you a FREE Kwik Tool with any order of 50 or more Kwik Jacks. Simply use coupon code FREEWITH50 when placing your order, and we'll cover the cost of the Kwik Tool. That's a savings of $29.96. Plus, you'll save up to 30% on installation time when using the Kwik Tool. This offer is only good until the end of the week, so place your order now. Visit Discount-Low-Voltage.com/The-Kwik-Jack-System to order online, or call us at (888) 797-3697.
Here's a video we did with instructions on how to terminate a Cat5e keystone jack (110 type) and a Cat5e Kwik Jack using the Kwik Tool. Enjoy
Features:
* The Kwik-Tool and Kwik-Jack are priced competitively with regular jacks
* Much faster than 110 tool
* The Kwik-Jack will save you up to 30% of your termination time when used with the Kwik-Tool. You can also use a regular 110 tool if no Kwik-Tool is available
* Uses SureLock Retention Technology for a perfect termination
* Cat3, Cat5e and Cat6 in stock. All use the same tool
* Using the Kwik-Jack Termination System ensures high-quality installations and high performance test results
We always appreciate customer feedback. Have you ever used the Kwik Tool? We'd like to hear about it. Leave a comment below and tell us about your experience.
Features:
- All-in-One Voice, Cat5E Data & 1GHz Video Wallplate
- Satin Finish
- Painted Combo Screws Included
- Flame Retardant UL 94V-0 Rated Plastic
Description:
Bring your voice, cat5e data and video together on one easy to install wall plate. These multimedia wall plates by Dynacom come ready to use, with 110 style connectors for your voice and data applications and an F-type connector for your video applications. Installation is easy, simply punch down your voice and data inserts using the color code shown on each connector, twist on your video connector and mount to the wall using the 2 included screws. Don't need the video connector? We also offer a Voice & Data only multimedia wall plate. To order these multimedia wall plates and many other items, visit our website at Discount-Low-Voltage.com
Please take a second and leave a comment below letting us know what your think of these wall plates. Thanks
24 port telco patch panels come pre-wired with amphenol connectors on the back for easy installation. The 24 port telco patch panel featured in this video is a 2 conductor, 1 amphenol, cat3 voice panel. The 24 port comes in either 1RU (rack unit) or 2RU and fits all standard 19" data racks, brackets and cabinets. All of the telco patch panels on Discount-Low-Voltage.com are UL listed, so you can be sure your getting a quality product at a great price. In this video, Mercy shows you what the 24 port telco patch panel looks like, front and back. Enjoy
Visit our website at Discount-Low-Voltage.com for a complete listing of telco patch panels. There are many different sizes and options available. If your not sure which one you need, call our sales staff at (888) 797-3697.
In this article, I'll explain step by step how low voltage Premise and Outside Plant (OSP) cable is made. This includes Cat3 telephone cable, Cat5e, Cat6, Armored, Gel-filled and more. Enjoy
Copper Rod Breakdown
The first step in low voltage cable production is copper rod breakdown. Copper is sent to the factory in 5,000lb coils. These copper coils are continuously drawn through diamond dies that drastically reduce the diameter of the copper to 10 or 12 gauge. Lubrication is used during this process to reduce the amount of friction and heat on the copper cable. Once completed, the copper is stacked in vertical coils, called Stem Packs. These stem packs are then transferred to another drawling operation that further reduces the gauge of the copper. During this stage, the copper is also charged with an electrical current. This anneals the copper, which is a softening process. Once annealed and cooled off, the copper runs through a laser measurement system, to verify it is within manufacturing specifications.
Copper Insulation Process
The copper insulation process is continually monitored and controlled up to +/- .0001". Once the copper is insulated, it runs through a water cooling trough, allowing the wire jacket to properly harden.
Copper Twisting
Twisting helps reduce crosstalk between the individual pairs of wire. Some Cat6 premise cables include a center spline, or wire separator, to further reduce crosstalk and increase performance. Copper twisting is accomplished by running each individual wire through multiple faceplates. This helps control pair position. Once twisted, we have what's called a Cable Unit.
Jacketing
The cable unit then goes through the jacketing process. This step varies, depending on what type of cable your manufacturing. OSP cable typically uses a black polyethylene or UV rated Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). For Cat3, Cat5e and Cat6 Premise cable, varying grades of PVC are used, depending on flame safety rating requirements. This steps starts off with molten plastic being extruded at high pressure and formed around the moving cable core. Shielding, ripcords, armoring and water blocking compound may also be applied at this step. Cables that require dual shielding or double armor will need to repeat this process. Once completed, the cable passed through a long cooling bath, then through a laser micrometer to verify the final diameter.
Printing
Printing is done just before the cable is put in it's final packaging. For OSP cable, a hot foil printing process is used, that leaves an indented print in the cable jacket. For Premise cable, a high speed ink jet printer is used. Some cable manufacturers print footage marking from 1000-0ft, making it very easy to determine how much cable you have left in the box, or measuring out cable runs. Other manufacturers use a 6 digit footage mark, making the process a little harder.
Coiling
The completed cable is then wound onto a reel or coil. the coiling process requires very precise tension controls to insure the cable won't tangle when being pulled out of the box.
Final Testing
Once the cable is printed and coiled, it goes through one last set of tests. The manufacturer will test it against a large set of mechanical and electrical performance specifications. Once tested, the cable is ready for shipment.
To order Cat3, Cat5e, Cat6, Outside Plant Telephone cable, Fiber or many other types of bulk cable, visit Discount-Low-Voltage.com
Or give us a call at (888) 797-3697
Got Cable Management Supplies? These people need to visit Discount-Low-Voltage.com and order some wire management panels, cable ties, and maybe a new job while their at it.
Enjoy this compilation of pictures showing how NOT to wire up your data center. I feel sorry for anyone that has to ever go back and work on these job sites.
And just a couple funny ones:
Fiber Jumper hair tie anyone?
Scorpion Mod Plug
From Messy to Clean
Have any pictures of a wiring mess you had to clean up? Cat5e cable out of control? Ethernet cables tangled? Patch panels with no wire management? Server rooms that look like a bomb went off? Sent any pictures you have to k.atkins@discount-low-voltage.com and I'll feature them in the next Crazy Wiring Pictures blog.
